yamaneko

Thats what Im talking about. We have the same things. Theres brand who at worst would be out next year, at best, he opts out, and they can work a sign and trade, thus giving them a lot better chance at using cap space (does anyone think with kwames expiring deal, a big name FA will be interested in signing in memphis?) Then theres maggette who also is expiring deal they could have had, very similar to kwames deal. Cassell as well. All as good if not better (due to sign and trade potential) for the memphis cap situation. Not sure how you cant see that.

Confront all you want, but its the only logical step to get us to a championship caliber team. Brand is not a superstar, cant carrry a team on his back, cant take nor hit late game shots, and is going to be asking for a superstar extenstion that will cap us out for years. I 100% guarantee that with brand at a max or anywhere near max deal, we will never win a championship, and wed be dang lucky to get to the WCF even . Its not just a guess, its a deduction based on brands entire career.

This is not a popularity or humanitarian contest. In that regards, we should give brand MORE than the max contract. The NBA is about winning a championship. And bottom line is youre not going to get there if you give superstar contracts to non superstar players. Even gasol is more of a star than brand...and is even cheaper than brand.

I also predict that we will miss out with 1 or more superstars b4 the trade deadline that we could have offered better deals to, namely, jason kidd, perhaps others.

Meanwhile, lakers all of a sudden are a championship team again, and probably will be for the next 3 years.

Bynum/Gasol/Odom/Kobe/Any PG

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08-09 Clippers - One more piece away from relativity